A Shrouded Ring of Hope
by Huepow00
Summary: The Story takes place 1000 years ago during the final Moments of the raging war between the Moon Kingdom and Ghadius the Dark Spirit.
1. Prolouge

**A Shrouded Ring of Hope**

**By Huepow00**

_PROLOUGE_

The faint cries of battle rose to a shrill scream that filled the air around the poor soldiers like a fog. Had it not been for the eclipse earlier, as dangerous as it had been, they wouldn't have been able to sleep at all.

It was still to dark to see anything, but the sun would come out soon, it always did. The eclipse's came often now, through some turn of events the Dark Spirit must have had control over. It filled the empty barren land surrounding the men and forced them into fear. A wrenching fear that infants get when separated from their mothers. A fear that, if left unchecked, would seep into the soldiers mind and poison his every thought until he was no longer a soldier, but a hollow shell with no will to fight.

Shells lay everywhere and although the eclipse had blacked out the main source of light, an eerie glow still surrounded the men from all sides. Refracted light twisted and crept through every crevice from the enormous crystals surrounding their home, gigantic crystals of every hue imaginable that towered over the fearful men like a monolith of color and brilliance. A monolith that, inscribed upon its shimmering surface, gave each man a reason to keep fighting and to keep his eyes open in the dark.

Then, as if through some unseen force, the fog lifted slowly. The wasteland was beginning to loose the dark shade of black that had enveloped it the past few hours, and the iridescent reflections of home dissolved in a bright sunlight. It was apparent, now that the men could see that nothing had drastically changed during their slumber. The same hordes of monsters were rushing towards them from familiar places, and the normal ambiance of war returned them to their senses. Their home was fully visible now through the twilight as it continued its conflict with the darkness slowly surrounding it.


	2. Chapter 01

**A Shrouded Ring of Hope**

**By Huepow00**

_CHAPTER 1_

He awoke with a calmness and uneasiness that a trapped animal might have. His dream was gone before he had a chance to perceive it, and he felt a slow sick feeling in his heart. It had been thirty days now and he brushed the thought away as if to pretend it hadn't happened.

_I never asked for any of this…_

And yet it had happened, for whatever reason. He wished he knew the reason. His teacher, Shaw, had once told him during a combat lesson.

"Nothing happens because fate says it will happen. Every action is based off of a choice, an instinct, or a decision. When you know what the other party is basing their actions off of, then you will be able to make your counter-attack."

It was an old Fu'men saying, and it brought him comfort.

He rubbed a glo-globe for some light and made his way to dress himself. His uniform lay on his desk where he had placed it the night before. He took careful consideration not to dress in the same manner each day.

_Routine leaves men open to surprises._

He noticed the ornate rug on the floor, which never received much attention, and he was glad he had decided to move it into his room. He carefully placed his family pendent across his left breastplate, the letter "H" with a golden crescent moon adorned on it. He was still stiff from the previous night, which he had spent with Shaw and three advisors discussing matters on dealing with the Dark Spirit.

"Sir, Your presence is needed in Artemis Hall immediately!"

The vox-tubes in his room filled with a powerful voice and a man's face appeared in front of him in an intricate array of lights.

He cleared his throat and wiped the sleep from his eyes.

_Artemis Hall? Why on Phantomile would I be needed there?_

An inquisitive feeling filled him like water in a bucket.

"Summon my First-com please, I wish to speak with him."

The man shifted his weight and showed a look of puzzlement for a split second. Had it not been for his training with Shaw, he might not have noticed.

"Retrieve my First-True-Combatant General." He spoke it slowly and without anger, but used a deeper tone to emphasize the importance. The general evidently understood and his face disappeared.

He was stopped in a few places along the way but he stayed only long enough to let the men know he had no time to listen to them at that moment. His footsteps echoed through the marble hallways and raced upwards through the towers and spires of his kingdom. A large hallway opened up in front of him with an enormous crystal orb covered in jewels and a latticework of gold suspended in mid-air above a large table.

"Sir Huepow, please come quickly, we have an urgent matter to discuss!"


	3. Chapter 02

A Shrouded Ring of Hope

By Huepow00

_CHAPTER 2_

He sat down on a nearby rock and let out a short breath. How many had he slain, he couldn't keep track anymore. He had killed so many these past years, never once thinking that it could have been different.

_I was born to fight, that is my purpose._

Had he been born during another time, perhaps in the vast Kingdom of the Wind, his life might have been different. The thrill of combat excited him like a surge of power. This was his playing field, where you were either capable, or you died. That was the only defining line in this existence of constant war.

"First Com! Your presence has been requested by Sir Huepow of Cress!" A voice shouted in the distance. He barely heard it, but he recognized the voice and slowly got up. His long black hair was in a mess, and it covered his eyes to the point that the blue hue of his pupils flickered as if behind a curtain.

A strong wind started up around the men, kicking up sand and gravel that had spent their entire existence there. Above the men, a dark shadow with a familiar shape slowly descended in front of them. There was no mistaking the low, muted hum of warm air and the faint buzz of technology.

_He must be busy to have sent a zoomer…I wonder why Lord Huepow would have called upon me at a time like this?_

A brightly uniformed man, about twice his age jumped out of the zoomer.

"General Grand! I didn't expect to see you here!" The noise of war was growing louder making the lungs dry, and forcing the men to shout.

"Its urgent Kaze', I'm to escort you directly to Sir Huepow!"

_He seems panicked!_

An explosion from nearby shook the ground, returning the men to their senses.

"Quickly, get in; I'll get you there as fast as I can!"

He jumped into the zoomer and they quickly shot into the air, the flying machine's porcelain body shimmering like a fish in the sky. He noticed the general's hands as he piloted the zoomer, they were shaking.

"General Grand, may I please inquire as to the sudden need for my seeing Lord Huepow while my men are in the middle of battle. The next eclipse is predicted to be in a few hours, why not interrupt me then." He was impatient; the general should have told him what the problem was by now.

Static crackled and hissed and a faint blue glow appeared around them now and again as incoming projectiles bounced off the zoomer's low-frequency shields.

_So the FirstCom. Doesn't know either…this must be more dangerous than I thought._

The General had too much on his mind, Sir Huepow hadn't given reasons for his calling and as it stood, neither did Kaze'.

"General!" came the question again. He breathed a sigh of discomfort.

"Kaze' I'm afraid I don't know why you have been summoned, Sir Huepow said it was urgent, but gave no details."

_He's lying about something…_

His face grew stern.

_That's not like Lord Huepow…_

"Can we go any faster general?" He was growing fatigued; he had always had trouble traveling in zoomer's.

"Don't worry Kaze', I know how you are with zoomer's, we should be at the main gate soon hold on."

He was beginning to feel sick in his stomach, something was calling for him, but he could not respond, he could not answer. He sank in his seat and tilted his head back. His eyes grew heavy, and things were growing gray.

"Kaze'? Kaze' wake up! Kaze'!"

_Damm!_

"Hold on Kaze', were going to make it!"


	4. Chapter 03

A Shrouded Ring of Hope

By Huepow00

_CHAPTER 3_

"He's going to be just fine sir…"

Words slipped in and out of a non-existent plane, too distorted and far away for his brain to make connections between the noises and what it remembered was speech. Darkness, cold and heavy and all too familiar surrounded his thoughts, and there was a faint glow that seemed like a blurred and twisted idea of what reality might be. The image was fuzzy and too far away to remember what it was supposed to look like, but at this depth, his brain didn't care anymore, it was busy now.

It grew constantly; taking no shape at all and having nothing in its way to conform to. It moved slowly like a large creature with only the will to dominate and nothing else. This wasn't the first time his brain had encountered such a complete darkness. There were memories that it searched for frantically of other such moments.

_I'm awake?_

"Really Kaze', we must stop seeing each other like this."

_That voice! It's so familiar._

"I'm afraid I don't have much time Kaze', I really must speak with you."

"I'm sorry Lord Huepow, There's nothing I can do about it, unless you know a way to treat Brain Tunnel Syndrome.

"Yes, very funny, perhaps you can come with me now? I don't have time for the usual games dear friend."

_Something must be seriously troubling him; he hasn't been this stern in a long time. Then again, I haven't seen him in a few years, who knows what might have happened._

Kaze' followed him down a short hallway; the echoing of their footsteps led them in their direction. The walls were covered on both sides by large paintings given as gifts to the Moon Kingdom. He noticed one of the late king, Huepow I. He stood next to a group of explorers of some kind, somewhere in Forlock Forest. Below them, inside a cage, was a strange creature with large ears. It was covered in fur and clothed in rags, but for some reason, had a strangely calm look on its face. He had asked years ago to have the painting removed, taken down and destroyed. That was the age his kind had been discovered by the inhabitants of this world.

_Things must have been so different, so peaceful, before the war._

The footsteps stopped, it was Artemis Hall, the golden glow surrounding them. Before he had a chance to ask why they were here, something flickered in midair. He glanced at Huepow who did nothing but stare straight ahead as he saw another flicker of light. Again it happened, this time larger than before; and again, even larger. He stood in quite horror as it began to take shape. First a tail, then wings, they were massive. He couldn't move, frozen in time, every hair on his body stood on edge as a cold chill swept down the back of his spine. An enormous creature, covered in shadows as black as night.

He flinched as two sets of eyes flew open, glowing a devilish red the likes he had never before seen.

It stared back at him, cold and heartless, and wanting, filling the room with its intent. He took a step back, staring in disbelief at the malicious entity towering over them.

_What the hell is that thing!_

"Kaze', there is a situation we must discuss."


	5. Chapter 04

A Shrouded Ring of Hope

By Huepow00

_CHAPTER 4_

_Once we crush Phantomile, the Kingdom of the Moon will have nothing left to fight for. Unleashing that nightmare will bring us such a grand victory._

He was staring out at the empty void of space with a grin on his face from the side of a large room surrounded by pillars of dark purple marble. Windows were set around the perimeter of the room instead of walls, it was an amazing view. He leaned closer and pressed his face against the glass.

_Soon this useless retaliation will be stamped out, and we will finally wield the same power as the Moon Spirit._

"Well Joak, how is it?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut short.

"The birth of this nightmare has undoubtedly caused panic within the Moon Kingdom…"

His grin widened, the destruction was beautiful. It consumed the earth; it poisoned the waters, and set the forests ablaze. The entire scene had an almost magical glow from where he watched.

An explosion from the planet lit up the room, the black and white marble floor shimmered. Small crystals embedded in the many pillars hummed and glowed, there were no other sounds in their vast section of space. For a moment, they could both be seen clearly, the Dark Spirit and his servant, standing completely still.

"Nahatomb will destroy this world…and we will rebuild it."

He continued to stare in silence as the darkness returned to the room, like the void before him.

"Nothing can stop us, my Ghadius…"


	6. Chapter 05

A Shrouded Ring of Hope

By Huepow00

_CHAPTER 5_

It wasn't going to be easy explaining the situation to him, although, knowing Kaze', it probably wouldn't affect him much. He could hide his emotions well when he wanted to, keep them under control. Nothing seemed to penetrate him very far. It was one of the many unique things about him that had granted him the honor of being First Com., although, the thought of the position being granted to anyone else was laughable.

"Huepow, what the hell is that thing! I've never seen a creature like that before in my life!"

_He already knows…_

The hologram loomed above them and made the room seem much smaller than they knew it was.

"This is the situation Kaze'…it's a Nightmare."

Kaze' drew back, something had struck him in the one place nothing else could.

"That's impossible! Everyone knows Nightmares are a legend! They're ancient myths."

_He knows…_

"Kaze', I do not like to appear a fool." He boomed.

The message echoed off the walls and Kaze's face grew stern.

"It is difficult for me to acknowledge this myself; I realize the frailty of the statement, which is why I need your help. The intelligence on this creature is inadequate, if it is a Nightmare I don't know what we'll do. You'll be putting together a four-man observation team, I need you to learn as much as you can about this thing and report back to me directly. The whole operation should take no more than a few hours, so I expect there not to be any problems. I want your best men on this expedition Kaze', is that understood?"

"Yes, Lord Huepow."

_He hesitated…that's not like him at all. I'm worried, could it really be true…_

"Good, I want your team ready to go before the next eclipse. That will be all."

They both saluted as the hologram faded away and the light in the room got brighter. Kaze' was already to the door by the time the room was back to normal.


End file.
